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Latest Key Developments

Ofcom Warns UK Phone Providers to Ensure Customers Can Contact 999

3rd Nov, 2025 (6 Comments)

The telecoms regulator, Ofcom, has opened a new compliance programme to assess whether regulated UK phone providers are meeting their obligations concerning the need to ensure access to emergency calls (e.g. 999 and 112). The move comes after a string of broadband and VoIP providers, including BT, Gigaclear and Vonage, were fined over various related failings (here, here and here).

Openreach Cuts UK Price of 1.2Gbps and 1.8Gbps FTTP Broadband Tiers

31st Oct, 2025 (25 Comments)

Network operator Openreach (BT) has today informed ISPs about a “realignment of prices” on their top two fastest Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) broadband tiers – 1.2Gbps and 1.8Gbps (both 120Mbps upstream), which in practice appears to mark a further price reduction. Rivals will perhaps remark that we’ve seen quite a few special offers from the incumbent of late.

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Ofcom Express Disappointment over O2’s UK Mobile Price Hike, But Doesn’t Act UPDATE

30th Oct, 2025 (38 Comments)

The UK telecoms regulator, Ofcom, has today said they’re “disappointed” by mobile operator O2’s (Virgin Media) recent decision (here) to increase their annual mid-contract price rises beyond what customers agreed when they signed-up (often above inflation too) and then forcing that upon existing customers. But so far an expression of disappointment is all they’ll do.

Ofcom UK Propose New Rules to Tackle Mobile Messaging Scams

29th Oct, 2025 (12 Comments)

Ofcom has today announced a “comprehensive package of planned measures” that are designed to improve protection for mobile phone users against messaging scams. According to the regulator, some 50% of UK mobile users said they received a suspicious message between Nov 2024 and Feb 2025 via text or iMessage, but it’s hoped today’s changes may reduce that figure.

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BDUK Summarise Progress of UK Project Gigabit Broadband Rollout Contracts

24th Oct, 2025 (12 Comments)

The Government’s (DSIT) Building Digital UK agency has today finally started to publish monthly updates on the delivery progress of contracts that have been awarded under their £5bn Project Gigabit broadband rollout scheme, which among other things reveals that some 150,730 contracted premises have already been built out of a planned total of 1,002,270 (October 2025).

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20 Broadband Altnets Launch New UK Network Infrastructure Sharing Venture

22nd Oct, 2025 (17 Comments)

The Independent Networks Co-operative Association (INCA), which represents many of the UK’s alternative broadband ISP networks, has announced that their efforts through the previously announced Infrastructure Sharing Group (ISG) have now resulted in the creation of a new infrastructure sharing venture – supporting the use of 500,000km of “spare fibre capacity“.

Major UK Pension Funds Commit £40m to Improve Rural Broadband UPDATE

20th Oct, 2025 (7 Comments)

The UK Government has announced the launch of the Sterling 20 initiative, which is a partnership of the country’s twenty largest pension funds and insurance companies (Nest, Aviva, Legal & General, M&G etc.) that have all agreed to pump extra investment into local infrastructure and businesses to boost growth. Rural broadband will be one of the winners.

Ofcom Reveal Initial Results of UK 5G Mobile Auction for 26GHz and 40GHz

16th Oct, 2025 (12 Comments)

The UK communications regulator, Ofcom, has this morning revealed the initial (principal stage) results from their auction of the 26GHz and 40GHz millimetre wave (mmW) spectrum bands for use by 5G mobile (mobile broadband) operators, which saw EE (BT), O2 (Virgin Media) and Vodafone (VodafoneThree) pay a combined £39m to secure more airwaves.

Government to Reintegrate Building Digital UK Agency Back into DSIT UPDATE

13th Oct, 2025 (1 Comment)

The Government has today informed ISPreview that its Building Digital UK (BDUK) executive agency, which has responsibility for delivering gigabit broadband and better mobile connectivity across the nation (e.g. the £5bn Project Gigabit scheme), is to be integrated back into the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) from 1st November 2025.

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Broadband ISP Virgin Media UK Launch Single Visit FTTP Install Programme

9th Oct, 2025 (22 Comments)

Broadband, phone and TV provider Virgin Media (O2) has this morning announced the launch of its new Single Visit Install (SVI) programme, which aims to provide customers with a faster and more reliable approach to installations. But it’s currently only live across their nexfibre built full fibre (FTTP) connections (c.2.4 million UK premises).

Welsh Gov Tenders for £70m Extending High Speed Broadband Project

8th Oct, 2025 (1 Comment)

ISPreview has spotted that the Welsh Government (WG) have today issued a formal tender notice for their £70m (state aid) “Extending High Speed Broadband” (EHSB) project for Wales. In its current form, this aims to help extend faster broadband to around 29,000 premises in poorly served areas (i.e. locations that can’t yet access 30Mbps+ speeds).

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Broadband and Mobile Considered as Part of UK Home Buying and Selling Reform

7th Oct, 2025 (6 Comments)

The UK government has begun consulting on new proposals aimed at speeding up the process of home buying and selling, while also improving the material information that Estate Agents are required to provide for every transaction. The availability of broadband, as well as mobile signal and coverage, are some of the data points proposed for inclusion in future guidance.

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Government to Expand UK Availability of Gigabit Broadband Voucher Scheme

26th Sep, 2025 (4 Comments)

Good news. The Government’s Building Digital UK (BDUK) agency will shortly announce that more areas of the United Kingdom are to be re-opened to the Gigabit Broadband Voucher Scheme (GBVS), which means that homes and businesses in poorly served areas will be able to apply for funding to help get faster internet connections installed.

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Openreach to Trial UK FTTP Broadband Speeds of 8.5Gbps in Q1 2026

23rd Sep, 2025 (56 Comments)

Network access provider Openreach (BT) has today provided more details to ISPreview on their future plans for a trial of full fibre broadband (FTTP) using 10Gbps capable XGS-PON technology in early 2026. The trial is planned to reach about 40,000 premises in Guildford and push download speeds from ISPs up to a blistering 8.5Gbps (8,500Mbps).

VodafoneThree Sign Outside UK Office Building in June 2025

Vodafone UK Set to Switch Off 2G Mobile Services During 2030

22nd Sep, 2025 (18 Comments)

Mobile operator Vodafone UK (VodafoneThree) has revealed that they intend to switch off their now ancient 2G based mobile network “during 2030“, roughly three years ahead of the government’s official 2033 deadline for the phasing out of both 2G and 3G services (here). The operator has already shut down its 3G network (here).

Cross-Party Inquiry Finds UK Unprepared for Attacks on Subsea Fibre Cables

19th Sep, 2025 (0 Comments)

The Joint Committee on the National Security Strategy (JCNSS) has today published the results of their cross-party inquiry into the growing threats facing the country’s undersea fibre optic data cables. The report finds that the UK has “plenty of cable routes and good repair processes” for routine breakages, but the UK can’t protect all of it from adversaries and must improve.

Openreach Launch New Telecare Phone Migration Services Across UK

17th Sep, 2025 (11 Comments)

Network operator Openreach (BT) has today announced the official launch of their new telecare migration services across the UK. The service is designed to help UK consumers with old analogue based phone (PSTN / WLR) and medical telecare systems to safely migrate to modern broadband-based (FTTP etc.) connections with digital phone (IP-based) services.